“Nabil is a new person now” - Chatri Sityodtong says Nabil Anane’s rematch with Superlek could look very different from first fight

Rising Muay Thai star Nabil Anane was made short work of by Thai superstar Superlek Kiatmoo9 in his ONE Championship debut two years ago. The promotion's Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong, however, sees things going differently in a possible rematch between the two considering how the Thai-Algerian fighter has grown his game, punctuated by him winning the interim bantamweight Muay Thai world title last week.

Nabil and Superlek met in June 2023 when 'The Kicking Machine' gave the then-ONE-debuting fighter a rude welcome, knocking him out in the opening round with his crisp striking.

During the post-event press conference for ONE 170 on Jan. 24, where Nabil claimed the interim bantamweight belt, Sityodtong spoke about the growth he has seen in the game of the 20-year-old sensation since he first landed in the promotion.

The ONE executive said:

"In the first fight Nabil had with Superlek, Superlek came in with a game plan and focused on the leg kick and the body shot, and I was quite surprised that Nabil got knocked out. But then I had a chance to talk with Mehdi Zatout, his coach. His coach said that Nabil, at the time, didn't focus a hundred percent on the training because he had personal problems and family problems at the time. But this fight, what just happened? Nabil has dedicated a hundred percent into the training camp, and it looks like Nabil is a new person now."

ONE 170, Nabil Anane was dominant in claiming the interim bantamweight Muay Thai championship belt. He lorded it over the erstwhile invincible Nico Carrillo of Scotland, scoring three knockdowns in the opening round on his way to the TKO victory.

The impressive win also earned him a $50,000 performance bonus from Sityodtong.

ONE 170 took place at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Its full replay is available on watch.ONEFC.com.

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Nabil Anane says he is ready for possible rematch and unification bout against Superlek

There is no official word yet on when a possible rematch between Superlek Kiatmoo9 and Nabil Anane would be, but the latter has expressed readiness whenever it is cast.

He shared this during the post-event press conference for ONE 170, where he claimed the interim bantamweight Muay Thai belt, highlighting that a possible unification bout with the reigning divisional king is something he is looking forward to.

The Team Mehdi Zatout standout said:

"First of all, I want to thank Superlek for giving me the opportunity to know what a world-class athlete is like. I've been improving myself since that loss with Superlek, and I've been training very hard, and I'm ready to face him."

Since losing to Superlek in his promotional debut in June 2023, Nabil Anane has been unstoppable, winning his next six matches.